


Red Tales

by Nerdy_Duck



Series: The Colorful Tales [1]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship/Love, Gen, Growing Up, Huebby, Young to Old
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26600317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdy_Duck/pseuds/Nerdy_Duck
Summary: Short tales of Huey's life being raised under his Uncle Donald as an only child. Dewey and Louie having been given to his uncles Scrooge and Gladstone. This small broken family will grow into something strong. Watch him become a duck who will learn all he needs to prove worthy of his family name.
Relationships: Donald Duck & Huey Duck, Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera & Huey Duck, Huey Duck/Webby Vanderquack
Series: The Colorful Tales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935058
Comments: 14
Kudos: 15





	1. Meeting at the Park

"Uncle Donald! Uncle Donald, wake up!" Donald Duck jumped at the voice and for a moment his heart rose as he could have sworn he saw his sister for a moment but the illusion vanished, leaving behind a tiny duckling in a red shirt and cap wearing a life vest.

"H-Huey?" The small duckling tilted his head and seemed to be worried for his uncle, a piece of paper in his hands. "I'm okay, just a bit tired after work. What did you need? Are you hurt?!" Huey rolled his eyes, how was he supposed to get hurt when his uncle safety proved their boat home.

"Nope! It's just that you promised to take me out to the playground today. See?" Huey held up the paper which seemed to be a hand-drawn schedule written sloppily in red crayon. "I wrote it down right there!" He jumped onto his guardian's lap and pointed at the part where he wrote to have fun. Donald smiled gently at his nephew's childish idea of a schedule but what did he expect from a five-year-old?

"Are you sure you wanna go, Huey? What if you fall from the climbing wall? What if some other kid crashes into you while you're on the slide? What if you get stuck in the jungle gym?! What if-"

"Uncle Donald! Relax!" Huey shouted as he held his uncle's bill. Donald closed his eyes and tried to calm down a bit, years worth of freakouts were hard to leave behind. "I'll be really careful! I just… wanna have some fun." Donald blinked looking at Huey and sighed. He knows he has been _a tiny bit_ overbearing and since he lost his sister he's been more than obsessed with the protection of his nephew. He had already lost two to Scrooge and Gladstone, he would show them that he can take care of a child.

"I don't know…" Huey put his hands together and gave his uncle his best puppy-dog eyes and Donald felt his defenses break down. He'd need to learn to beat the look. "Fine, we'll go for an hour or two."

"Two! Two!" Huey shouted as he ran to grab his bag that held his Junior Woodchuck Guidebook. Donald smiled and shook his head before getting up to get some snacks ready and maybe a first aid kit or three…

. . .

"H-Huey! W-wait!" Donald gasped as Huey was dragging him along and they arrived at the park. Donald allowed himself to fall and rest on the ground as he was trying to catch his breath. The last five years had hit his stamina hard it seemed. Huey ran back to check on his uncle.

"Uncle Donald, the other parents are staring. Are you okay?" Donald nodded and waved him away which Huey smiled at and ran off towards the playground after dropping his bag with Donald. The red-clad duckling spent some time examining different flowers and trees, checking off the ones he found in his guidebook. He hoped one day to earn all the badges in the book and maybe add his own section to it. After a bit of exploring, he returned to the playground to see most of the kids were playing to see who would be the king (or queen) of the playground. Mostly just trying to get to the highest platform and stay there. Huey settled for sitting on a swing and gently going back and forth.

His thoughts turned to his mother in this time of tranquility, as they tended to do at times. He remembered his uncle telling him stories of her, how she was a fierce adventurer who was tougher than nails! He mentioned her love of exploring and flying. She was a pilot at heart and loved nothing more than when she would get to go into the air and feel that rush. Huey smiled with his eyes closed as he thought about her, not noticing that he was moving his legs and body more, causing the swing to move faster and higher.

"Whoa! Look, Granny, it's like he's flying like Launchpad!" A girl's voice broke Huey's daydream only to find that he was really high up. He yelped and freaked for a moment, unfortunately, it was just as he hit the apex of the swing's height. He was launched off the swing and Huey quickly covered his head to protect it as he bounced off the ground and rolled a bit. He groaned as he was dizzy and a bit sore. "Ooo… exactly like Launchpad…"

"HUEY!" Huey rubbed his head in annoyance as his uncle rushed to him and began to look over his body, checking for injuries. Huey blushed in embarrassment noticing a few other ducklings were staring and looked away as Donald put several band-aids on his arms and legs. "Come on we should go home."

"W-what?! But it's only been an hour! Please, Uncle Donald! Just a bit longer please!" Donald sighed again and smiled.

"Fine, a bit longer but no more swing okay?" Huey agreed and watched his uncle rejoin the parents as he turned back to the swings to get his guidebook but found it was gone.

"W-what?! Where is i-it?!"

"Umm are you looking for this?" Huey turned to the voice, it was the girl from earlier. She looked to be his age and had a purple bow in her hair. She was holding out his guidebook which he took happily.

"My book! Thank you umm…"

"Webby, Webby Vanderquack. I liked that jump! You looked like you are gonna fly, before you crashed. Are you okay?"

"I'm Huey Duck. Oh uhh yeah, I definitely meant to do that... I'm okay, my uncle just tends to worry too much."

"My granny's the same way, but that's guardians for you." Huey nodded in agreement and looked around, a bit nervous as he never really talked to too many kids. Webby seemed just as inexperienced before she smiled and seemed to have gotten an idea. "Oh, Huey! Are we friends now?" She asked excitedly and her eyes almost sparkled.

"Uhh sure?" Webby cheered and grabbed his wrist before pulling away from the playground. "W-Webby! Where are we going?!"

"I'm gonna show you something me and my other best friend saw last night! It was an alien!" Huey blinked as she said her other best friend, did she consider him a best friend after one conversation?

"You know aliens aren't real… right?"

"Of course they're real! There's evidence all around us! The pyramids, crop circles, ancient duck statues! Even Scrooge McDuck has met them!"

"Couldn't we have made pyramids and crop circles?"

"And the statues?"

"Well according to the guidebook-"

"I'll prove to you aliens are real Huey! Last night, me and my friend-"

"My friend and I."

"Saw a falling star crash right near here! It's why I convinced my granny to take me out here. I wanted to see the alien!" Huey sighed as he thought this would end with Webby being disappointed, but a small part of the boy was actually excited… what if? What if she was right? Could he add aliens to the guidebook? Would they believe him?

They walked for a few more moments before they arrived at some woods that surrounded the park but Webby pushed through with Huey right on her tail. He knew his uncle Donald would freak unless he got back quickly so he began to push through faster, nearly tripping into a crater when Webby grabbed his shirt and pulled him back.

"T-thanks Webby…"

"It's what friends do… whoa look it really is aliens!" Webby excitedly jumped and slid into the crater with Huey warning her that it could be dangerous and carefully climbing in after her. The two looked around before finding the impact area, a misshapen black holey rock was there. "Aww, it's just a rock."

"A meteor! It's a space rock!"

"Ooor it could be an alien egg!" Huey bent down to observe the meteor better and was about to lecture Webby about why that would be wrong when she suddenly took the meteor into her hands. "Ooo this thing has some weight."

"W-Webby!" Huey shouted while getting up, afraid that his new friend was touching something otherworldly.

"What's wrong Huey?"

"Y-you have to be careful! What if it has some kind of uhh… space germs on it?! Or maybe some kind of poisonous gas?!" Webby giggled at how quickly Huey turned from calm and logical to panicky and overprotective.

"And you said I was being crazy with my alien talk. Here." She tossed it to Huey who stumbled and groaned lifting the rock. Turned out the red-clad duckling wasn't the strongest guy around. After a moment, he was able to lift it easier and stared at the rock in awe. "Well, a bit sad it wasn't an alien but we did find something cool! Maybe next time it will be an alien! Will you investigate next time with me, Huey?" The boy blinked and then smiled as he nodded, excited at the promise of another adventure.

"Sure! What if next time by some crazy chance I'm wrong and it is really an alien, what do we do then? What if it tries to abduct us?" Webby laughed and grinned largely, thinking she was finally getting Huey to believe in aliens if only a tiny bit.

"I'm not afraid because I know you'd be there to save me right?" Huey shivered at the question. The boy knew he had little courage, he had his brain, yes but it did sorry work when threatened by something actually dangerous but at this moment he felt… strong. He felt like he could take on aliens. Was this what real friendship was like?

"Of course! It's a promise but you may end up saving me more than the other way around." The two shared a laugh when they heard their names being called. They began to climb out of the crater, with Webby pulling Huey and the rock up. "Thanks, so what do we do with the meteor?"

"Why don't you take it, Huey? I mean you seem to be more interested in it anyway."

"Yeah, but what about you? I mean we found it together and I was here only because you saw the star falling so it's more yours than mine."

"Then consider it a gift! So you don't forget our promise!"

"Don't you want something to remember?"

"It's okay… I never forget anyone." The yelling got louder and Huey put the meteor away before looking at Webby's smile. She waved and ran off without a goodbye. Huey blinked and allowed a small grin before following his uncle's voice. Donald panicked and hugged Huey close before angrily questioning him and why he had left the park but Huey only smiled largely and said that he had made a friend.

. . .

Back on the boat, Huey had just changed into pajamas when he looked outside his window at the stars. He questioned briefly if Webby was doing the same but chuckled and pulled out the meteor, putting it on his desk next to his guidebook. An idea struck the boy and he grabbed a sticky note, scribbling on it before sticking it on the rock. Stretching and jumping into bed, he let the steady rhythm of the boat rock him to sleep.

" _Meteor found by Huey Duck + Webby Vanderquack, do not touch! Slight potential to be an alien egg!"_


	2. The First Badge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (NOTE: The lyrics used in this story are very slightly modified from the Trickwi original song In Your Spotlight so full kudos to them and please give it a listen! It's really amazing!)

Six-year-old Huey was nervous as he tried to fix the large coonskin hat on his head and the long homemade sash. His uncle Donald said that the hat was his own one back when he was a Junior Woodchuck before he got kicked out due to a rocky relationship with nature. Thankfully, he kept the old journal which was Huey's favorite book even if it had big words he didn't know. Donald even alluded to Huey's mother being one of the woodchucks but then he went silent, as that subject always seemed to do.

"I-I don't know Uncle Donald… what if they don't like me? What if I don't like it? What if it's too hard?"

"You've cataloged and done so much in your free time with that book. Now you'll actually be able to earn the badges."

"I didn't know I'd have to talk to other kids…"

"It's only two days in the starter camp and it's easy. At the end of the second day, they have a big stage ready and you show off a talent and get the badge. It's fun! I did it with… her…" Huey sighed he hated making his uncle feel bad but that was part of his point, Donald had Della there for him when they were kids. They were best friends but Huey had… nobody. His first and only friend having not been seen since that fun adventure in the park.

It wasn't like Huey disliked people. He liked them and was well-liked around the marina by the fishermen and women but he was a duck that appreciated the peace and quiet of his room. He liked just to tinker with things, reading epic Scrooge McDuck stories, hearing Uncle Donald's fake old crazy stories about when he was an adventurer and learning to fix stuff to help keep their houseboat afloat. Besides, somewhere he knew he had a friend in Webby, so that must have been enough right?

They arrived at the camp and Donald opened the door for Huey. There was a lot there, a lodge, a park, a pool, a mess hall, cabins, and dozens of small workshops most likely to earn badges. There were a dozen different trails that led into the nearby woods and some kids were running around playing with each other.

"Go see if you can play with some of the kids Huey, I'm gonna get you signed in. Oh great, Grand Mogul is there. This will be fun." Donald said sarcastically but felt Huey grab his hand before he took a step away. Huey looked scared and Donald kneed down, hugging him gently.

"W-what if I don't like it here?"

"If you don't like it at the end of tomorrow then we'll leave, who needs the woodchucks? I didn't." Huey sniffed and smiled hugging Donald and nodded.

"I'll try then for you Uncle Donald."

"I knew you would. You always do." He ruffled Huey's hair under the hat and started off towards a table with the other parents. Huey smiled and fixed his hair before heading to the playground and sitting on a swing.

"I wonder what mom was like as a woodchuck… if she stayed in it then she must have loved nature. Uncle Donald says they went on so many different adventures but I doubt the houseboat could get them that far, besides if he helped find all that treasure why would we be so poor?" His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a hard shove from behind which sent him flying face-first into the ground. He held his face and glared back at the bigger boy who was laughing. "W-why did you do that?!"

"Because you were being stupid and taking up the swing for no reason. Now get out of here kid. Are you even a Woodchuck? With that old hat and fake sash you look more like a joke!" The boy laughed and with the others around him agreeing which made Huey blink and clench a fist. He felt rage fill him, he wanted to hurt this guy. He picked up a rock and threw it at the bully who grabbed it and threw it back, hitting Huey on the head and knocking him down again. "If you can't take it then why don't you just run away?" Huey ignored the taunting and laughing as he ran away, tears stinging at his eyes from the pain. "Look at the chicken run!'

He ran into the woods, cutting his shins a bit on thorns and twigs, and hid behind a fallen trunk, crying and rubbing his head. Thankfully it was only a bump but it still hurt. He wanted to shout, to punch something but didn't wanna get hurt again. Huey always hated getting angry, it made him dumb and he would rush into things without thinking which never ended well for him. Uncle Donald said that anger was part of the family and that it was better than letting it bottle up, but they both agreed that he would need help with his anger so they both started going to Donald's therapist Jughead Jones together.

"I-I-I can't do this… I wanna go home! I'm s-so sorry Uncle Donald…. I'm sorry m-mom…"

"Hey, there little guy you dropped this." Huey jumped at the voice and turned to see a teenager holding out his hat.

"T-thank you…" He grabbed the hat and put it back on before getting a better look at the stranger. He was a bit short for a teen with messy hair and brown feathers but he was wearing the senior woodchuck uniform with a lot of badges and even a few medals, most seemed science-based by the pictures. "I-I'm Huebert but everyone calls me Huey."

"Fenton Crackshell. It's nice to meet you, Huey. I like your homemade sash. Hmm, you look like you're hurt, here let me help you. Hmm, I have no bandages… I got it!" he pulled out a rubber band and cut a bit of his shirt under the uniform. Putting a bit of cold mud on the cloth and laying it on the bump, while using the rubber band to keep it there. "A bit messy but that should help. Just use the hat to cover it up and take a bath afterward."

"W-wow that was a good idea mister Crackshell!"

"Call me Fenton. So what are you doing all the way out here Huey?"

"I'm… nervous… I never really talked to other kids."

"And now you're stuck here with so many. Yeah, I was the same way when I got here, and honestly, I'm not that different. I have some people I like but no true friends."

"Isn't that… scary? Hard? To be all alone…"

"Well, I wasn't alone. I had my mama by my side the whole way. I bet you have someone like that don't you Huey?" The boy thought for a moment before a tiny grin spread on his face. Uncle Donald had always been there when he needed him and times when he didn't. Always being a stern but loving parent to the boy that had none. He was who Huey had when he had no one else.

"Yes… I do but I still feel weak…"

"Of course you do, you're just a kid. If we were born perfect and strong than what's the point of trying to be better?" Huey blinked and looked over at Fenton before the tiny grin grew into a smile.

"You're right. I think I know what I want to do for the talent show tomorrow but I may need some help..."

. . .

Huey gulped as the night came and he was shaking. Pairs of other kids performed together with others preforming with their parents and a few on their own. He was one of the last ones and he shivered when he heard his name. He had worked with Fenton and his Uncle Donald but fear paralyzed the boy. What if they laughed before he even finished? What if they threw things at him? What if-

"Come on Huey, you got this. You worked on it all day. Time to show them all who you are." Fenton's kind and friendly voice relaxed him, on the last day that they talked he found a brotherly figure in the teen. Huey took a deep breath and nodded taking the mic offered before stepping onto the stage.

A spotlight appeared on him and he could see all of the woodchucks and parents staring with Uncle Donald holding a camera. Huey froze for a moment before hearing a piano playing nearby, Fenton giving him a smile. Huey sighed, closing his eyes and imagined himself alone. 

It's another day to fight the fray, my heart is soaring

To find my way towards the stage won't come easily

Troubled waves, spirits decay, their words are daunting

But they cannot create who I will be

They laugh at me

Throw taunts at me

One look at me and they misjudge what they see

But I can only decide what I will be…

Huey opened his eyes and raised his head to look at the crowd, taking a few steps towards the edge.

I'll be your sky and your fire

And I will go much higher

I'll stand up to the lightning, it's time to turn the tide...at least I will try

I will be legendary

I will shine in these eyes

and you'll see that I'm worthy to be in this spotlight

Everyone was silent as he sang his song and his eyes met his Uncle's who was smiling proudly. Huey smiled back with a few tears stinging at his eyes.

I can face the rain, get through this pain, my soul is burning

I was once afraid, hid in the shade, Questioning what's me

I was falling under, scared of the thunder from their taunting

But they should not affect who I will be

I'm not ashamed

I'm proud of my name

I'm not the same, I can drown their spiteful flames

I'll aim to win, not wallow within the lie that they see

I'll be your sky and your fire

And I will go much higher

I'll stand up to the lightning, it's time to turn the tide...at least I will try

I will be legendary

I will shine in your eyes

and you'll see that I'm worthy to be in your spotlight

Huey let the tears fall as he turned his sight upwards towards the sky.

I'll be your sky and your fire

And I will go much higher

I'll stand up to the lightning, it's time to turn the tide at least I will try

I am not ordinary

I can be only me

and you'll see that I'm worthy to be in her spotlight

...in her spotlight…

The song ended and everything was quiet for a moment before they cheered and Huey felt himself get lifted into a tight hug. He cried and hugged his uncle back, feeling safe and loved in his arms.

The show ended with all the kids standing on stage to get their first badges, Fenton volunteering to give Huey his. The boy excitedly hugged the teen once the badge was pinned, making him laugh. Before they left home, Donald, Huey, and Fenton took a photo in honor of the boy's achievement.

. . .

Huey smiled proudly as he placed the framed photo next to his moon rock, the old journal he used before, and a new one that was given to him. Fenton said that he would help the boy with badges and stuff if he ever needed him, turns out he lived close by. A knock at his door made him glance over to see Donald smiling and looking tired. He had another job interview in the morning.

"Heading to bed Uncle Donald?"

"Yep, time for us both to hit the hay. Just wanted to say… I think your mom would be proud of you… I know I am."

"I know Uncle Donald… someday I'll bring her back for us both. Good night."

"Sweet dreams Huey." Donald looked conflicted for a moment before he hugged his nephew. "I love you."

"I love you too." They separated and Huey glanced up at the moon one last time before laying on his hammock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo how was it? I know some people will question why I used Fenton here well, in the original, it was stated that Fenton was indeed a woodchuck so I guessed to add that here. In fact, with Huey being good friends with Fenton here you can expect him to have more of a relationship with Gyro also. I decided that I would make Louie and Dewey perspectives of their own lives in this universe, Green Tales and Blue Tales, once this one is done. None of the three will meet in their series so it focuses on them. They will all know Webby and maybe one more character or two. I hope you're enjoying my story! Stay cool everyone!


	3. Having Faith

Huey smiled as he finished bandaging up a small child who had hurt their leg a bit while running around the pier. Luckily, his uncle always had a first aid kit nearby on the houseboat. 

“And there. You should be fine in an hour or two. Just be more careful okay? Don’t want to seriously hurt yourself now.” The child looked at their leg and looked a bit scared as they tested putting weight on it but smiled when there wasn’t much pain. The boy gave Huey a quick hug which many of the younger kids did when Huey would help them, something he couldn’t really get used to. 

“Thanks Huey! I’ll start heading home, I have to eat lunch anyway. Bye Red!” 

“Bye. Be careful!” Huey shouted as the boy ran off and he shook his head. Suddenly, he blinked and he ran back inside the houseboat, checking the clock and groaning as he had lost time in helping the boy and reading his guidebook. He had wanted to deliver some lunch to his uncle! He would need something to help him keep his cool while at his new job and Huey would ensure he got it!

He opened his guidebook and looked for something quick. Going through the fridge, he groaned and made a promise that they would go shopping later. Rubbing his head and swallowing his growing annoyance, he smiled and snapped his fingers. 

He gathered several things and went to work, opening his guidebook to smores. Making several (in exactly the correct way) and heating some hot chocolate just the way that his uncle enjoyed after a long day. He wrapped up the smores and poured the drink into a thermos. 

Huey grabbed his pack next to the exit and made sure to grab his trademark hand-me-down cap on the way out. Thankfully the cap always carried his trusty JWG in it so when he left he’d always be prepared. The docks had changed a lot since they began to live there all those years ago. Scrooge McDuck and Flintheart Glomgold started a feud over who could provide the most fish to Duckburg and soon enough Duckburg had a healthy fishing industry added to all the other stuff they had. 

Walking through the city, Huey briefly wondered how Fenton was doing. After joining the woodchucks, the two become close friends with Fenton inspiring a new love of science and robotics in the boy. His friend was finally getting his internship at McDuck Enterprises after a lot of waiting and having to prove he was talented enough for it. Though Huey saw the wait as them trying to ignore him, with Fenton saying that the main scientist in charge must have just been busy seeing he had no team and worked alone. 

He hadn’t gone over to see his friend lately as he didn’t want to bother him, meaning he spent most of his time alone or taking care of the local kids. He had his uncle and his badges though so there wasn’t much more he felt he needed but he also felt somewhere inside a bit discontent with his life. He knew had no real reason to complain seeing that he had all he could ask for and more thanks to his uncle working so hard but he felt like maybe he could be doing more, that he was destined for more.

He shook his head at the feeling and rushed to get to McDuck Pictures studio, where his uncle had managed to get a job as a stunt double in some small instructional videos. The studio was interesting as it seemed to be similar to Mickey Mouse Studios where more humorous shorts were made for Mouseton’s House of Mouse. 

He arrived just as a limo was leaving and he quickly hid beside the studio wall. He glanced out to see the limo suddenly speed up and nearly crash into several people as it raced off. Donald always said to avoid limos as they usually only held people not worth knowing, people like Flintheart Glomgold or Scrooge McDuck. Huey had once asked his uncle how he knew that but it was one of the very few times that Donald asked Huey to leave the matter alone and just trust him.

And he did, his uncle’s never lied to him before. He walked to the guard and told him why he was there and showed his Junior Woodchuck ID as proof. 

“Name of the actor?”

“Don- I mean Maui Mallard!” Huey bit his lip sweating as he did, he always hated lying but for some reason, Donald had given them a different name when he came here. He even changed his usual sailor outfit for something Huey saw as a blind ninja but really was just scraps of old clothing all stitched back together into something new. 

He was let into the studio and walked to lot two where they were filming some video about working with heavy machinery. He entered the lot just as he saw his uncle getting his hand crushed in a machine, causing him to stumble back and get hit again onto an assembly line, running on it until he tripped, and was sent flying hard into a wall. Huey heard someone shout “Cut!” but he didn’t pay it any mind as he raced to his uncle who struggled for a moment to get back up to his feet. 

“Uncle Donald! Are you okay?!” 

“H-Huey? What are you doing here?”

“I said cut! There’s some runt on set! Hey kid, are you dense or something? These are some really expensive machines, get out of here!” Huey angrily glared at the director who was shouting at him. 

“Me?! You just hurt my uncle you-” Huey’s insult was lost as Donald stood in front of him and put a gentle hand on Huey’s chest.

“P-please ignore him… he was just worried about me.” The director scoffed seeing the two and leaned back in his chair. 

“You’re on thin ice Mallard, you lost ten minutes on your break for that kid’s mouth. You should have left him with his mother, now get him out and get ready for another take in ten.” Donald swallowed his anger and grabbed Huey’s hand while walking away,  just so missing  Huey sticking his middle finger out at the director’s direction. The two walked out and Donald sighed and relaxed against the lot wall, Huey could already see the parts of his face where he’d been bruised.

“You’re hurt…”

“Occupational hazard… I knew what this job would be like when I took it…” 

“But they don’t even seem to try and make sure you’re not hurt…” Huey bit back the spite on his tongue as he helped his uncle sit and he pulled out the smores and thermos. Donald smiled and ate as he pulled Huey to his side, cutting one of the smores in two for them. Huey tried to say that he needed it more but that excuse had never worked. They shared everything, every victory, and defeat, every up and every down because they were a team. A perfect team.

Huey snuggled into his Uncle’s side and looked up at the slowly moving clouds. They never did have much at one time, things would always go wrong or something would break due to one of their fits of anger. It was unfair with how hard they had to try just to fail again. 

“I won’t be back tonight… seems there’s another video to be shot in the lot nearby.” Huey felt his stomach drop as he hated the idea of being alone on the houseboat worrying all night. 

“Maybe I can bring you some-”

“No! You can’t go walking through town at night! I’ll just… grab some stuff from the vending machine. You’ve been working hard lately so why not relax? Maybe have a sleepover with a friend?” Huey looked away and rubbed his head before saying that he would give it some thought. A shout from inside caused the two to jump and Donald sighed deeply before shoving the rest of the mini-meal in his mouth and then guzzled down the rest of his drink. He hugged Huey and thanked him for the food before going back into the lot. 

Huey left the studio slowly, lost in his own thoughts as he wandered aimlessly. Would this always be their lives? Doing their best for barely anything worth all the trouble? He always believed that good things come to those that deserve it and earn their due but with all their work and effort there were no riches, no adventure. He found himself next to the gates of Killmotor Hill, staring up at the mansion of Scrooge McDuck. 

“Why can't we be like you… He does his best and still nothing… Why? I don’t… I don’t understand…” He grabbed the bars and leaned his head against the gate, anger and sadness causing tears to prick at his eyes. 

“Well lookie what we have here, the little nerd I’ve told you guys about.” Huey turned at the voice and glared seeing Bully Beagle, one of his fellow woodchucks supposedly but Huey knew that all badges the boy had were stolen off those who’ve really earned them. No one would fight him though because he had all of the Beagle Boys behind him. Supposedly.

“Leave me alone… I’m not in the mood.”

“Well that’s too bad nerd, because I’m not in the mood to listen to the likes of you!” He roughly shoved the cap wearing boy into a mud puddle. Huey wiped his face and turned, throwing a punch at Bully who saw the reaction coming and caught the fist. “Bad move squirt.” Huey used his other arm to cover his face just as another voice made itself known.

“Put him down or else you ruffian!” Bully looked around before laughing.

“Ruffian? Just how old are you? Come on out kid!”

“If that’s what you want.” Huey followed the voice and looked up into the tree above where a female duckling flew out with a kick to Bully’s face. He dropped Huey holding his nose before the girl punched him several times in the stomach and kicked him again in the face. Bully’s posse ran off without their leader seeing how quickly this girl took out their leader. “Happy?”

“Come back here you cowards!” Bully shouted before looking back to see Huey and Webby standing there. “This isn’t over!” He shouted before running off with Webby shaking a fist at him. 

“And leave one of my best friends alone! Good riddance.” Webby shouted while dusting her hands off. Huey smiled softly before turning to see her and rushed over, hugging and surprising her but she soon smiled and hugged back.

“W-Webby! I-I missed you…”

“You didn’t forget…”

“Never.” He separated from her seeing he was only making her dirty also. They shared a laugh and Huey started to clean himself off. “So… what were you doing in a tree? Haven’t been here this whole time have ya? I went to that park every week for like three months!” Actually he went every weekend for fifteen weeks, not that he counted no sir not good ol Huey.

Webby looked guilty and a bit sad as she twirled a finger through her hair nervously which made Huey feel a bit guilty.

“I really did want to come back and see you again but… something happened that day back home which scared my granny and that made her a bit paranoid about my safety. I honestly shouldn’t even be over the wall or I could get in trouble… but I recognized your voice and I checked and sure enough it was you.”

“That makes sense, I’d hate to get you in trouble though so maybe we should get you back… over the wall? Wait... “ Huey looked at the tree she came from and followed it despite knowing where it started from, the lawn of Scrooge McDuck. “Y-you live there?!?” 

“Shhh!” She covered his mouth quickly. “My granny is the nanny is all! It’s a big place and Mister McDuck doesn’t trust too many folk so he let me and my granny stay seeing she was one of the few he does trust.” Huey nodded understanding and rubbed his beak. 

“I always wondered what it must feel like in a place like that… the treasures, history, and wide open space… I thought of one day getting a house like that for my uncle.” 

“It’s not as fun as you think, at least not when you don’t have more friends… I have one there with me though.” Huey wondered if he should ask but shrugged the comment off, wasn’t his business. “So… were you heading home?”

“I don’t know… I’m gonna be home alone tonight so maybe…” He jumped when Webby excitedly grabbed his shoulders and shook him. 

“DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?!”

“N-N-N-N-NOOOOOO!” He shouted as he tried to make his eyes stop spinning. She dropped him and pointed a finger to the sky. 

“We should have a camp out tonight! It will be like a sleepover outside! I just have to sneak you into the gardens.”

“Won’t I be arrested if I get caught?”

“We’ll just don’t get caught!” Huey bit his lip for a moment before looking back at Killmotor Hill and sighs with a small smile playing at his lips. It’s not like he hasn’t camped out nearby the manor before as there was a woodchuck camping spot just down the road.

“I suppose… that could be a bit of fun and I do want to practice more camping to earn some new badges.” It was a plan then as Huey said he’d come back cleaned up and with camping gear. He ran home grabbing several things he thought he may need before slowing down to leave a note just in case his Uncle got to come home early. 

He locked the houseboat and put his spare key under the red flowerpot nearby in case his uncle’s luck made him lose his. He headed back to McDuck Manor just as the sun slowly began to set. This may be wrong, spending the night on someone else’s lawn even if that lawn was the size of a small neighborhood. He arrived at the gate just as something hit in on the head. 

“Ow! Hey what the?” It seemed to be a letter stuck to a rubber bolt from some plastic gun. It told him to meet her in the back of the estate through the woods. He rubbed his head and looked around before shrugging and walking around the estate wall. Huey wondered if this was a smart move, being so close to the one duck that his Uncle always said to avoid. It may not be smart but the excitement of danger and risk of being caught was exhilarating. 

“Maybe… this is what I was missing…” He whispered out loud as he arrived at a small gate. He reached out when Webby shouted out. 

“Stop! Don’t touch it, it’s an electrified gate!” Huey jumped back and slowly leaned close hearing the hum of the current. “Didn’t think a trillionaire would have a defenseless entrance right into his mansion did ya?” That would be common sense, maybe his mind was being distracted too much.

“Of course, I guess I’ve just been distracted lately. Not really thinking.” Webby frowned and tilted her head before she disconnected the current. 

“Not thinking? That doesn’t sound like the boy I met those years ago, you feeling okay?”

“Just been worrying a lot lately. It’s nothing really, so where are we gonna be camping?” Webby didn’t seem to want to drop the issue but smiled and began to lead the way. Huey followed only to stop several times to examine some of Scrooge’s foreign animals that he collected, eager to catalogue them into his guidebook and share some knowledge about them. 

“Well there’s a small patch of forest on the grounds and we’ll use them so that my granny won’t see you or your tent from the manor.” He nodded and looked up at the manor. 

“I bet it’s something, getting to actually talk to the Scrooge McDuck. He’s a legend! Finding the truth about Bigfoot, the stories about all the lost treasures he’s found, so called monsters and magic he’s witnessed. I’ve always wondered how much is true and what is embellished.” 

“Well he’s usually really busy so we don’t really talk… I doubt he even really notices me.” Huey frowned at that as he couldn’t understand that mindset, why not get to know those you live with? Who wouldn’t want that companionship?

“Come on Webs, who could ever ignore you? You’re pretty unforgettable! Now we should focus before it gets dark. What’s our plan for camping? We need firewood and some food.”

“I can cut some wood!”

“Umm… I don’t think Mister McDuck will like us cutting up his lawn. There has to be firewood inside the manor right? We can borrow that with some food. Place is big enough I doubt they’ll be missed. I’ll set up the tents and prepare a fire pit. According to the guidebook, we need to ensure our site is safe with several traps and plenty of light!” 

“I wanna set up the traps! So many kinds to test out!” Huey stared at the girl for a moment, a bit afraid of what she’d come up with.

“Umm… actually I can’t go inside so you have to. I’ll get everything set up out here!” Webby seemed a bit deflated at that but saluted and ran up towards the manor while Huey sighed and clapped his hands before getting to work. He pulled out several flashlights and stuck them in several different places, dug a hole for the fire pit, setted up the tents, and finally put up some lawn chairs. “Perfect.”

“I’m back with marshmallows! Oh and some hot dogs!” Huey smiled and relaxed, at least until he had to get up and stop Webby from trying to shove twenty marshmallows in her mouth. Once they agreed to eat the real food first and then the dessert, Webby looked over at him and thought back when she saw him at the gates. “So who was that big bully back there?” Huey swallowed and groaned, leaning back. 

“Bully Beagle, part of the beagle boys at least that’s what he says but many of us think he’s a liar. A wannabe.”

“Who would want to be part of that group of dummies?”

“A dummy.” He answered while taking another bite. “Forget those guys, tell me how you’ve been! It has been a long while.” Webby had to think about it as honestly much hadn’t changed for her. She told about the numerous hobbies that she had tried her hands at and how well her self-defense training had gone. She went into detail about how many different kinds of strange monsters she believed were in Duckburg such as Bigfoot and Terra-firmians. He didn’t have the heart to try and tell her different at least not now. Lastly, she described a time she snuck out with her brother and the two spent a whole day at Funzo’s Fun Zone.

“Where fun is in the zone!” Huey recited the jingle and smiled thinking back to the few times he visited. Webby gigged with a nod.

“Sooo… what’s life been like for you lately Huey?”

“Me? Well… umm… Oh! I made some new friends! Local kids by the pier, a best friend in Fenton. We became friends when I joined the Junior Woodchucks. My old guidebook, remember? I actually started to really get badges and stuff! It’s so much fun!” He went on about all the stuff he had learned and Webby actually wanted to help by telling him different and even more effective ways to do things. Huey was surprised by her tips and mostly by how she would improve the fighting section of the guidebook. 

“Oh uhh it’s just stuff Granny picked up over the years!”

“I thought she was a housekeeper… leave it to Scrooge Mcduck to find a housekeeper who can fight, I guess.” 

“Yeah… umm Huey? I was wondering if… you’re okay? I hope I didn’t force this on you!” He blinked but soon chuckled which made her pout. “Hey I’m trying to be serious here.”

“No no! It’s okay! I just thought it was a bit funny. I feel better than I have in a while. Fenton has been pretty busy lately with finishing school and my Uncle… he’s been working pretty hard lately and I just wish I could help him more. I want him to know he’s not alone I guess...” He looked down and was silent for a while when he heard grass being stepped on and felt something lean on his shoulder. He glanced over to see Webby sitting next to him. She gave him a small smile and he found it infectious as he gave one back. 

“It’s hard feeling like that… I know some people who have a similar problem.”

“How did they solve them?”

“They both have decided to go down different paths and I think you will too… there’s no one best way to handle this.” She tapped his guidebook and looked up at the stars. “You’ll just have to do something and have faith that it will turn out right I suppose. That’s my advice at least.” He stared at her, her eyes reflecting the stars and made them gleam in the dim moonlight. He looked back at the guidebook and touched the symbol on it. 

“Have faith…” Was that what he was missing lately? He had been losing hope. He wanted proof that what he and his Uncle Donald were important. That all they do meant more than nothing. He felt like they were just running in circles but at his lowest the world gave him back an old friend. Maybe he had been looking at things all wrong. He had a lot to be thankful for and while he and his Uncle were down on their luck, that doesn’t mean he can just give up! He would have faith in his uncle and in the fact that things will always get better eventually. 

“Hey Webby? Do you know where the big dipper is?” He asked while opening his guidebook and showing her a few constellations before she began telling him about the tales of how some monsters became stars after being defeated by great heroes. Huey crushed out the fire and the two shared a goodnight before going into their tents. Huey woke early the next day and stuck his head out of his tent after hearing something nearby. He was met by an older woman who seemed to be built like a house and was twice as sturdy. 

“U-uh hel-eep!” He was silenced by the woman gently grabbing his beak and motioning him to be quiet. She pointed back at the manor and let him go.

“I’m sorry to wake you so early but Mister McDuck is getting up and you could well be spotted when he comes out to head over to the money bin today. Usually I have to report trespassers but…” She glanced at Webby’s tent and sighed. “I’m afraid my granddaughter doesn’t have many friends and I’m not looking to push away one of the few she has. I’d just advise against camping in places you’re not meant to be at.” Huey nodded quickly, relieved after the terrifying thought of being in trouble was brought up. 

“R-right, sorry…”

“Don’t be, I actually saw you last night and you seem to be a good lad if a bit unconfident. Maybe you should visit when Mister McDuck is out. I’m sure Webby would love the company.”

“Well… I’ll think about it. Is there a number I can call to check in?” The woman smiled and nodded giving him a number to write in his guidebook. Huey thanked her as he began to collect his stuff. “T-thank you miss umm!”

“Mrs. Beakley dear.” 

“Mrs. Beakley. Tell Webby I’m sorry I couldn’t stay.” She nodded and stopped Huey while giving a bit of money to buy some breakfast. He blushed and tried to give it back but she insisted and he thanked her again before he ran towards the back gate and snuck out . He used the money to buy some groceries and rushed home, feeling better than he had and was eager to make his uncle a great meal he could return home to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's a big dump of writings. The last few months have been pretty hard and there were some losses in 2020 but after a bit of healing, I'm back. My writing may not be a hundred percent yet so I apologize for that but if I don't write then my writer's block will never disappear. Thank you everyone for all your support!

**Author's Note:**

> Moving one of my stories from Fanfiction.Net over with a bit more editing! I hope you all enjoy!


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